The AM community physique critique thread

[booneman77]

Amen to that. Still, if I'm being honest, at the end of the day, if I had to choose between having good calf genetics (I don't) or good bicep genetics (I do), I'd pick biceps, haha.

Hahaha I'm in exactly the same boat.

Crush calves every way possible - nothing

Don't do biceps for years - still disproportionately larger than my tris

 

[puccah8808]

Fcuk calves ha. The most frustrating muscle of all time

Nobody trains legs at this natty comp I'm at.

 

[booneman77]

Nobody trains legs at this natty comp I'm at.

Physique guys?

 

[lifted67]

Nobody trains legs at this natty comp I'm at.

I haven't been able train calves at all with my stress fracture

 

[muscleupcrohn]

Nobody trains legs at this natty comp I'm at.

Upper and lower legs?

 

[sparks2012]

Throwing in a pic of my terrible calves as motivation to bring them up. I've been working them hard lately, and I'm seeing some progress, but mostly just more vascularity (pic taken in the morning pre-workout)

Calves look good man...I wish mine would respond better. They're getting there, but **** I hate how slow they are!

 

[sparks2012]

Well, since everyone is posting again I'll throw up some more pics tomorrow. I've been in a deficit the past 3 weeks so some critiquing would be good for me.

 

[puccah8808]

Upper and lower legs?

Physique guys?

There's only a few. Maybe 6-7 people who looks like they train legs.

 

[sparks2012]

There's only a few. Maybe 6-7 people who looks like they train legs.

Dear god. I can only tell the difference between most of the males and females by the trunks they're wearing. I'm not perfect, but squat for Christ's sake!

 

[BamBam0319]

There's only a few. Maybe 6-7 people who looks like they train legs.

Oh my goodness that is sad.

 

[BamBam0319]

For all you fellas who struggle building your calves. I'm in the same boat. These used to be nonexistent but it just takes a long ass time to see results. 6 years in the making.

 

[muscleupcrohn]

Dear god. I can only tell the difference between most of the males and females by the trunks they're wearing. I'm not perfect, but squat for Christ's sake!

This. It makes me feel better about my legs, haha. I mean, it's one thing to not work legs or have small legs if you're just a gym rat, but to compete like that? It's almost insulting to the sport. I won't even think about competing until I bring my legs up a lot (among other muscles).

 

[muscleupcrohn]

For all you fellas who struggle building your calves. I'm in the same boat. These used to be nonexistent but it just takes a long ass time to see results. 6 years in the making.

Solid calves man!

 

[BamBam0319]

Solid calves man!

Thanks bro. Of course they're not where I want them to be, but they're a far cry from where I started.

 

[booneman77]

Dear god. I can only tell the difference between most of the males and females by the trunks they're wearing. I'm not perfect, but squat for Christ's sake!

Holy hell. I thought exactly the same thing... Looks like a lineup of female bikini commotion until you look at upper bodies ha.

The won't part is it's not that they have bad conditioning, they just have no muscle.

 

[muscleupcrohn]

Holy hell. I thought exactly the same thing... Looks like a lineup of female bikini commotion until you look at upper bodies ha.

The won't part is it's not that they have bad conditioning, they just have no muscle.

I just don't get it. I can understand competing with bad calves (lots of people have physiques that are very well balanced and developed otherwise), but they have very underdeveloped upper legs too. I'm not expecting a bunch of Tom Platz quads out there, but come on.

 

[puccah8808]

Holy hell. I thought exactly the same thing... Looks like a lineup of female bikini commotion until you look at upper bodies ha.

The won't part is it's not that they have bad conditioning, they just have no muscle.

I was thinking... Why didn't they condition for this? A few looked really good, 99% had no calves, some "conditioned" for over a year. I don't know.... I just don't know...

It was an ok show, the people who looked the best won their pro cards. Kudos to everyone for trying... One lady won cuz she was the only person in that category. Lol

Oh and their tan was bad. It looked freaking gold.

 

[lifted67]

Legs are so hard to get big as a natty though. I've played hockey for years and have trained legs just as long and my quads and hammies aren't impressive. My lower body is like 50% ass and 50% calves lol

 

[dactyl]

Stats 5'4"
34 years old
Weight 168 currently
Usually 173 but started cutting and realized all the mass I thought I had before may have just been body fat
Not sure how much better I will look with lower bf I just hate to get smaller especially in a shirt
Have tried every type of routine I'm doing higher reps right now and figuring I may be more slow twitch

 

[TNlifting]

I definitely feel the pain of stubborn calves too. I do calves almost every workout and they are still non existent. Feels bad man. I've seen some improvement in the definition and shape of them, but size gains are nowhere to be found.

 

[TNlifting]

Stats 5'4"
34 years old
Weight 168 currently
Usually 173 but started cutting and realized all the mass I thought I had before may have just been body fat
Not sure how much better I will look with lower bf I just hate to get smaller especially in a shirt
Have tried every type of routine I'm doing higher reps right now and figuring I may be more slow twitch

Idk you look like you have some solid size to me. Us short guys fill out fast, so you may have more muscle than you think. I say go for the cut if you want, or eat around maintenance and recomp just to shed a bit of body fat.

 

[booneman77]

Legs are so hard to get big as a natty though. I've played hockey for years and have trained legs just as long and my quads and hammies aren't impressive. My lower body is like 50% ass and 50% calves lol

Play goalie for a few years... That'll change haha

My legs have always had good size (and my ass is like yours- hockey sized ha) but I've never tried to get them conditioned.

That said, if I were gonna compete you better believe I'd want to have at least SOME separation in m quads. That's not hard to do natty at all. It just takes effort

 

[lifted67]

Play goalie for a few years... That'll change haha

My legs have always had good size (and my ass is like yours- hockey sized ha) but I've never tried to get them conditioned.

That said, if I were gonna compete you better believe I'd want to have at least SOME separation in m quads. That's not hard to do natty at all. It just takes effort

It takes lots of isolation, I'm finding out that squats just don't cut it.

I plan on submitting a pic to you guys as soon as I'm not such a fat ass anymore.

 

[booneman77]

Stats 5'4"
34 years old
Weight 168 currently
Usually 173 but started cutting and realized all the mass I thought I had before may have just been body fat
Not sure how much better I will look with lower bf I just hate to get smaller especially in a shirt
Have tried every type of routine I'm doing higher reps right now and figuring I may be more slow twitch

You definitely have some size under there but if you're looking to get to "abs" level, you've prob got a good 25+lb to lose. That sounds like a huge number and will have you really low on weight but who cares? If it's the look you're after, then forget the scale.

Your back is definitely a strong point tho and you will look wide even at a much lower bf.

Hard to tell for arms and such tho because your bf is higher but you look to have decent size there as well. Being leaner (even tho physically smaller) will make you look bigger tho for sure.

It's up to you tho to weigh your options as to how lean you want to be and the look you want to have

 

[dactyl]

That's what I'm trying thanks bro
It's hard to tell sometimes I look better in the mirror than I do in pictures
It messes with my head when I actually do take them
Left the gym about 6 months ago and bought a power rack and was doing full body for the last 5 months or so now doing more of a split chest/back
Legs
Shoulders/arms days off when necessary due to family or needed rest every thing usually gets hit twice within at least 9 days

 

[dactyl]

Booneman77
I hear ya thanks
Yeah 25 is a big number lol I have always been so big on the scale number I guess since I was always so much smaller that weight just feels good sometimes
But I'm sure if I finally commit to a cut I will look better in some places
Trying to get the shoulders and traps to really show
I guess it is really deceiving until you get lower as far as where I need to focus on or bring up
I will keep at it
I have been logging everything in my fitness pal the last few weeks and cleaned up my diet I was eating more fat than I thought for sure
Have always been pretty spot on with carbs and protein but the fat I always guessed especially with meats cause I was figuring on some of it the fat would mostly cook out like in burgers and such
Thank you for the feedback everyone

 

[booneman77]

Booneman77
I hear ya thanks
Yeah 25 is a big number lol I have always been so big on the scale number I guess since I was always so much smaller that weight just feels good sometimes
But I'm sure if I finally commit to a cut I will look better in some places
Trying to get the shoulders and traps to really show
I guess it is really deceiving until you get lower as far as where I need to focus on or bring up
I will keep at it
I have been logging everything in my fitness pal the last few weeks and cleaned up my diet I was eating more fat than I thought for sure
Have always been pretty spot on with carbs and protein but the fat I always guessed especially with meats cause I was figuring on some of it the fat would mostly cook out like in burgers and such
Thank you for the feedback everyone

I totally get the number being a big hurdle. The one consolation is that the leaner you get, and the more visible the results, the less you'll care about the scale number.

 

[dactyl]

Very true I will keep at it

 

[muscleupcrohn]

Play goalie for a few years... That'll change haha

My legs have always had good size (and my ass is like yours- hockey sized ha) but I've never tried to get them conditioned.

That said, if I were gonna compete you better believe I'd want to have at least SOME separation in m quads. That's not hard to do natty at all. It just takes effort

Separation in the quads is definitely attainable natty, but huge size with separation is very difficult.

 

[puccah8808]

Separation in the quads is definitely attainable natty, but huge size with separation is very difficult.

The guy in the red trunk was the best conditioned.

 

[lifted67]

I realize where I am posting this but I could never be a "thong warrior" lmao. I like my board shorts in Mens Physique, or what the real body builders call "men's bikini" so the ribbing goes both ways before you yell at me about my post.

 

[muscleupcrohn]

I realize where I am posting this but I could never be a "thong warrior" lmao. I like my board shorts in Mens Physique, or what the real body builders call "men's bikini" so the ribbing goes both ways before you yell at me about my post.

I prefer the posing trunks from the 70s. I'd say there's probably more mainstream appeal with that style as well.

Also, I'm wondering how much having hairy and super pale legs takes away from definition and appearance, haha.

 

[lifted67]

I prefer the posing trunks from the 70s. I'd say there's probably more mainstream appeal with that style as well.

Also, I'm wondering how much having hairy and super pale legs takes away from definition and appearance, haha.

Oh man, the days or Arnold, Serge, Louie, and Franco!?! That WAS bodybuilding. Did you see they're bringing that look back now with the Mens Classic Physique division.

 

[puccah8808]

I prefer the posing trunks from the 70s. I'd say there's probably more mainstream appeal with that style as well.

Also, I'm wondering how much having hairy and super pale legs takes away from definition and appearance, haha.

A lot..

 

[muscleupcrohn]

Oh man, the days or Arnold, Serge, Louie, and Franco!?! That WAS bodybuilding. Did you see they're bringing that look back now with the Mens Classic Physique division.

I've heard about it, but don't know too much. Do you really think we'll see physiques on the same level as Arnold, Serge, Franco, Oliva, etc? They were pretty massive, but with very small waists and very aesthetically pleasing physiques. Also, they all had their own distinct looks. You could tell who was who instantly by their bodies; can you really do that today? I'd love to see a return to that, but I'm skeptical.

 

[lifted67]

I'd say "yes" Whole Lee Fawk *goalz*

 

[muscleupcrohn]

I'd say "yes" Whole Lee Fawk *goalz*

Impressive as hell, but nowhere near what we had in the 70s (aside from leg development) IMO:

 

[lifted67]

You have to remember these guys are transitioning from regular Mens Physique, they're still growing into their new division. The stats are actually very close.

 

[muscleupcrohn]

You have to remember these guys are transitioning from regular Mens Physique, they're still growing into their new division. The stats are actually very close.

The stats can say whatever they want, and I've seen that, but bodybuilding is not a game of numbers or stats. My fear for the division is that we're either going to see competitors that are smaller than the 70-80s, or bigger, but not as aesthetically pleasing, which would just be normal bodybuilding and defeat the purpose. We'll see, and I hope I'm wrong.

 

[muscleupcrohn]

Anyway, my legs that need a lot of work. And a tan.

 

[puccah8808]

Anyway, my legs that need a lot of work. And a tan.

Oh sh*t, that reminds me... I need to go tan today.

Looking good, btw!

 

[BamBam0319]

I haven't had to tan in 3 months now due to a mishap with melanotan 2 :/

 

[muscleupcrohn]

I haven't had to tan in 3 months now due to a mishap with melanotan 2 :/

Explain?

 

[BamBam0319]

Explain?

I was experimenting with what was supposed to be HGH Frag 173-191, but it must have been melanotan II because I started to look like a black dude. The skin on my face looked dirty. Freckles and moles popping out everywhere. Acne scars on my back turning dark and looking like more freckles.
Most of the tan has faded but my fingers for some reason are still very dark.

 

[puccah8808]

I was experimenting with what was supposed to be HGH Frag 173-191, but it must have been melanotan II because I started to look like a black dude. The skin on my face looked dirty. Freckles and moles popping out everywhere. Acne scars on my back turning dark and looking like more freckles.
Most of the tan has faded but my fingers for some reason are still very dark.

Let me see!!

 

[muscleupcrohn]

I was experimenting with what was supposed to be HGH Frag 173-191, but it must have been melanotan II because I started to look like a black dude. The skin on my face looked dirty. Freckles and moles popping out everywhere. Acne scars on my back turning dark and looking like more freckles.
Most of the tan has faded but my fingers for some reason are still very dark.

Sh*t. Wow.

 

[BamBam0319]

Not sure if this depicts it accurately but there ya go
And this was shortly after I realized what was going and stopped taking any peptides because I didn't know which one was the culprit:

 

[puccah8808]

Not sure if this depicts it accurately but there ya go
And this was shortly after I realized what was going and stopped taking any peptides because I didn't know which one was the culprit:

Oh wow! That's insane, Bam! Glad you figured it out quickly and stopped!

 

[lifted67]

Bam, you look sooooo sad in that picture. Smile bro!

 

[BamBam0319]

Oh wow! That's insane, Bam! Glad you figured it out quickly and stopped!

Thanks! Yep not buying from that company again lol

Bam, you look sooooo sad in that picture. Smile bro!

Haha this was almost 2 months ago, I'm good now! I was indeed sad that seriously everyone was convinced I'd gotten a spray tan.